Low driven inertia dual clutch

• US 8,967,352 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2007
• Issued: 03/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Eaton Cummins Automated Transmission Technologies, LLC
• Original Assignee: Eaton Corp. (Wisconsin) (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Inventors: Kummer, Martin E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Crawford, Gene
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHAU, TERRY C
• Application Number:
  US11/694,460
• Publication Number:
  US 20080236983A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,895 Days
• Field of Search: 192/87.1, 192/87.11, 192/85.24, 192/85.25, 192/48.601, 192/48.609, 192 48611- 48613, 192/48.8, 192/48.91, 192/85.39, 192/106.F, 743/30
• US Class Current: 192/48.611
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2021/0607 Double clutch with torque input plate in-between the two clutches, i.e. having a central input plate
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2021/0661 Hydraulically actuated multiple lamellae clutches
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2021/0692 with two clutches arranged axially without radial overlap
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 21/06 at least two driving shafts or two driven shafts being concentric
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 25/0638 with more than two discs, e.g. multiple lamellae
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 25/10 Clutch systems with a plurality of fluid-actuated clutches arrangements or mounting of clutches in vehicles B60K17/00
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 25/12 Details not specific to one of the before-mentioned types

Abstract

A clutch apparatus includes a clutch pack having a plurality of friction disks. The clutch pack will selectively transfer torque from a torque supplying member to a first torque receiving member. The apparatus also includes a first piston chamber positioned radially outward of the clutch pack. The first piston chamber is operably connected to the clutch pack for exerting a compressive force on at least a portion of the clutch pack as a first fluid is pressurized into the first piston chamber.

Claims

1. A clutch apparatus comprising:

a first clutch pack having a plurality of friction disks, wherein the first clutch pack will selectively transfer torque from a torque supplying member to a first torque receiving member;

a first piston chamber positioned completely radially outward of the first clutch pack, wherein the first piston chamber is operably connected to the first clutch pack for exerting a compressive force on at least a portion of the first clutch pack as a first fluid is pressurized into the first piston chamber, and wherein the first clutch pack, a first piston and the first piston chamber rotate simultaneously about a common axis;

a first balance chamber formed at least partially between the first piston and a first balance chamber wall, wherein an amount of a second fluid equal to that of the first fluid is displaced from the first balance chamber upon movement of the first piston, thereby maintaining a rotational weight and a rotational inertia of the clutch apparatus; and

a second piston chamber positioned radially outward of a second clutch pack, wherein the second piston chamber is operably connected to the second clutch pack for exerting a compressive force on at least a portion of the second clutch pack;

wherein the second clutch pack has a plurality of friction disks, wherein the second clutch pack will selectively transfer torque from the torque supplying member to a second torque receiving member, and wherein the first piston chamber is positioned radially outward of the second clutch pack.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first clutch pack includes a first clutch hub coupled to a plurality of first hub disks and a clutch drum coupled to a plurality of first drum disks, wherein at least a portion of the first hub disks are interleaved with the first drum disks.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising the second clutch pack having a second clutch hub coupled to a plurality of second hub disks and a plurality of second drum disks coupled to the clutch drum, wherein at least a portion of the second hub disks are interleaved with the second drum disks.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the second clutch hub is splined for mating with a second transmission input shaft.

5. The assembly of claim 3, wherein the first clutch is positioned axially adjacent the second clutch.

6. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the first clutch hub is splined for mating with a first transmission input shaft.

7. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising a torsional damper coupled for rotation with the clutch drum.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first piston chamber is operably connected to the first clutch pack for exerting a compressive force on at least a portion of the clutch pack as a first fluid is pressurized into the first piston chamber.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a second piston, wherein the second piston, the second piston chamber, and the second clutch pack rotate about a common axis.

10. A torque transmitting apparatus for a vehicle, comprising:

a first clutch pack having a plurality of friction disks, wherein the first clutch pack will selectively transfer torque from a torque supplying member to a first torque receiving member;

a second clutch pack having a plurality of friction disks, wherein the second clutch pack will selectively transfer torque from the torque supplying member to a second torque receiving member;

a first piston assembly including a first piston chamber and a first piston balance chamber, wherein the first piston chamber and the first piston balance chamber are positioned completely radially outward of the first clutch pack and including a first piston for exerting an axial force on the first clutch pack, and wherein the first piston chamber, the first piston balance chamber and the first clutch pack rotate about a common axis, and

a second piston chamber positioned radially outward of the second clutch pack, wherein the second piston chamber is operably connected to the second clutch pack for exerting a compressive force on at least a portion of the second clutch pack.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the first clutch pack includes a first clutch hub coupled to a plurality of first hub disks and a clutch drum coupled to a plurality of first drum disks, wherein at least a portion of the first hub disks are interleaved with the first drum disks.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the second clutch pack includes a second clutch hub coupled to a plurality of second hub disks and a plurality of second drum disks coupled to the clutch drum, wherein at least a portion of the second hub disks are interleaved with the second drum disks.

13. A torque transmitting apparatus for a vehicle, comprising:

a first clutch, wherein the first clutch will selectively transfer torque from a torque supplying member to a first torque receiving member;

a second clutch, wherein the second clutch will selectively transfer torque from the torque supplying member to a second torque receiving member;

a first piston assembly including a first piston chamber and a first piston balance chamber, wherein the first piston chamber and the first piston balance chamber are positioned completely radially outward of the first clutch and including a first piston for exerting an axial force on the first clutch, and wherein the first piston chamber, the first piston balance chamber and the first clutch pack rotate about a common axis; and

a second piston assembly including a second piston chamber and a second piston balance chamber, wherein the second piston chamber and the second piston balance chamber are positioned completely radially outward of the second clutch and including a second piston for exerting an axial force on the second clutch, and wherein the second piston chamber, the second piston balance chamber and the second clutch pack rotate about the axis.

14. The assembly of claim 13, wherein the first piston balance chamber is formed at least partially between the first piston and the torque supplying member, wherein movement of the first piston as a fluid flows into the first piston chamber will displace a second fluid from the first piston balance chamber.

15. The assembly of claim 14, further comprising a clutch drum operably interposed between the torque supplying member and the first clutch pack.

16. The assembly of claim 15, wherein the first clutch pack includes a plurality of first drum disks connected to the clutch drum and the second clutch pack includes a plurality of second drum disks connected to the clutch drum.

17. The assembly of claim 13, wherein the first clutch is a first clutch pack having a plurality of first friction disks and the second clutch is a second clutch pack having a plurality of second friction disks.

18. A clutch apparatus comprising:

a first clutch pack having a plurality of friction disks, wherein the first clutch pack will selectively transfer torque from a torque supplying member to a first torque receiving member;

a first piston chamber positioned completely radially outward of the first clutch pack, wherein the first piston chamber is operably connected to the first clutch pack for exerting a compressive force on at least a portion of the first clutch pack as a first fluid is pressurized into the first piston chamber, and wherein the first clutch pack, a first piston and the first piston chamber rotate simultaneously about a common axis; and

a first balance chamber formed at least partially between the first piston and a first balance chamber wall, wherein an amount of a second fluid equal to that of the first fluid is displaced from the first balance chamber upon movement of the first piston, thereby maintaining a rotational weight and a rotational inertia of the clutch apparatus;

further comprising a first return spring axially restrained by a first piston retaining ring and a first drum retaining ring, wherein the first return spring provides a biasing force upon the first piston.